Let's start our journey in Greece - at the Great Meteoron, the oldest and most important of Meteora's monasteries.
Crowning one of the majestic cliffs of this marvellous natural wonder, the monastery is already a man-made miracle - a very interesting interweaving of Byzantine, post-Byzantine and even some neo-Byzantine details - being one of the most interesting complexes in the transition from Byzantine to post-Byzantine architecture.
The non-trivial layout is combined here with equally non-trivial solutions - it is one of the last complexes still decorated with frescoes of the scholarly men of antiquity - pagan philosophers, who are believed to have been the closest to the knowledge of God, and the meanders decorating the temple are juxtaposed with images of saints dressed according to the fashion of the time - in an extravagant mixture of Western and Eastern Mediterranean costumes.
Crowning one of the majestic cliffs of this marvellous natural wonder, the monastery is already a man-made miracle - a very interesting interweaving of Byzantine, post-Byzantine and even some neo-Byzantine details - being one of the most interesting complexes in the transition from Byzantine to post-Byzantine architecture.
The non-trivial layout is combined here with equally non-trivial solutions - it is one of the last complexes still decorated with frescoes of the scholarly men of antiquity - pagan philosophers, who are believed to have been the closest to the knowledge of God, and the meanders decorating the temple are juxtaposed with images of saints dressed according to the fashion of the time - in an extravagant mixture of Western and Eastern Mediterranean costumes.
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Let's continue with the most modest temple in today's selection - Transfiguration Cathedral in Tsalenjikha, Georgia, also called Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
Quite modest in its decorations and size, interesting from the first glance only by its gallery - it seems that the temple does not deserve the title of a cathedral, and to some extent it is true - in fact, it was once the court church of the famous princes Dadiani, the ruins of whose palace are still near the temple.
It also served as a burial vault of this family, but the most interesting thing is hidden inside it - the temple belongs to the few Georgian temples painted in the Byzantine style of Palaeologan Renaissance - the oldest frescoes here are made by the master Manuel Eugenikos, who was invited by the Dadiani from Constantinople itself.
Quite modest in its decorations and size, interesting from the first glance only by its gallery - it seems that the temple does not deserve the title of a cathedral, and to some extent it is true - in fact, it was once the court church of the famous princes Dadiani, the ruins of whose palace are still near the temple.
It also served as a burial vault of this family, but the most interesting thing is hidden inside it - the temple belongs to the few Georgian temples painted in the Byzantine style of Palaeologan Renaissance - the oldest frescoes here are made by the master Manuel Eugenikos, who was invited by the Dadiani from Constantinople itself.
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Finally, let us conclude today with a temple that is itself undergoing a transformation - the Cathedral of Perm, recently returned to the Church.
In some ways, the cathedral was lucky - during the Soviet years it was home to the Perm Art Gallery, whose staff managed to protect many parts of the building, including the iconostasis of the upper church - as well as saving dozens of pieces of church art from around the region, famous for its wooden sculpture.
Now, however, with the protection of the church no longer required, it is logical that its revival has begun - during which, I hope, the unique marble iconostasis of the lower church will also be recreated. The gallery has moved to a new building specially equipped for it.
In some ways, the cathedral was lucky - during the Soviet years it was home to the Perm Art Gallery, whose staff managed to protect many parts of the building, including the iconostasis of the upper church - as well as saving dozens of pieces of church art from around the region, famous for its wooden sculpture.
Now, however, with the protection of the church no longer required, it is logical that its revival has begun - during which, I hope, the unique marble iconostasis of the lower church will also be recreated. The gallery has moved to a new building specially equipped for it.
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